Could the new Greenhouse Restaurant that opened in Sydney last month be the world’s greenest yet? Designer Joost Bakker excels when it comes to creating edgy design restaurants that carry an incredibly low ecological footprint. Having already designed a pop up Greenhouse Restaurant in Melbourne in 2008 and acclaimed permanent Greenhouse Restaurant, Perth in 2009, The Greenhouse Sydney situated on prime real estate next to the Sydney Opera House is open for 8 weeks and may just carry the lowest ecological footprint so far.
Every single aspect of both the construction and operation of The Greenhouse Sydney has undergone careful consideration. Built in just three weeks and designed to be easily dismantled and recycled, the frame was produced onsite from roll formed steel coil which is filled with straw, and the doors and windows are made from recyclable steel. Its interior walls are clad in MgO board impregnated with biochar, allowing The Greenhouse to store carbon within its own walls. But this is just the beginning of an impressive list of eco credentials that few restaurants around the world can boast.
The kitchen is headed by the talented Matt Stone, recently nominated as best new talent by Gourmet Traveller 2010, and former executive chef at The Greenhouse Perth, which took out Perth’s Restaurant of The Year Award in 2010. Following a back to basics food philosophy, enables the kitchen to generate very little waste and create a deliciously fresh menu. Milk is delivered direct from a local farm in returnable stainless steel buckets, and is used to make fresh butter, yoghurt and cheese. Wheat is also sourced direct from the grower, and used to mill their own flour to make bread, pastries, pasta and wood fired pizza. Even their oats are rolled to order. All organic waste is composted on site, and used to maintain the rooftop garden, and oil from the deep fryer is turned into diesel that provides the restaurant’s electricity.
Inside the restuarant, eco design marvels continue to inspire and amaze. Restaurant customers are seated on chairs made from old aluminium irrigation pipes and leather offcuts sourced from a local saddlery. They eat with cutlery made from compostable plantation timber, and drink from beer glasses designed by glass artist Mark Douglass from the restaurant’s empty spirits bottles. Even the wine and soda water are poured from special kegs sourced direct from the manufacturer. You can soak in this atmosphere whilst seated under ambient lighting made from willow trees and rolls of fencing wire.
“>GREENHOUSE BY JOOST from The Design Files (click on link if video does not appear)
Do not despair if you are not in Sydney to visit this environmentally friendly foodies/architectural paradise. Lucy Feagins stylist, writer and now film maker extraodinaire behind The Design Files has documented its creation in an informative and eye boggling short 5 minute movie clip (see above!). Also, Joost Bakker will be packing up The Greenhouse into shipping containers and taking it on a European tour to Milan, Berlin, Brussels and London later this year, where each city’s menu will be based on local produce. Cant wait to see the international Greenhouse incarnations!
If you have been fortunate to have lived the Greenhouse by Joost experience, please leave a comment below!
Photography by Matt Irwin Photography
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